Trisha Brown at Central Saint Martins, N1

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A triple bill of Brown’s works reminded us of how much imagination and intelligence she brought to bear on pure dance

Trisha Brown is one of the great voices of the American postmodern dance era, but her recent retirement from choreography means that her company’s appearance at this year’s Dance Umbrella festival had a nostalgic, end-of-an-era feel to it. A triple bill of her works, spanning 30 years of her output, reminded us of how much imagination and intelligence she brought to bear on pure dance.

Astral Convertible (1989) is an archetypal Brown creation, made in collaboration with the artist Robert Rauschenberg, whose metallic towers, harsh lights and silvery costumes give the piece a futuristic and impersonal sheen. The tug of